22 Minute Hard Corps: Special Ops Bonus

Bonus workout disks can go either way. Very rarely have I seen any worth getting besides maybe T25 Gamma and P90X2. As such I’m hesitant to include bonus disks in a review of the main workout series, as it can taint the waters. Such was the case with Max 30 which had a less than impressive upgrade pack.

22 Minute Hard Corps was an excellent program, so when given the opportunity to test the bonus workouts, I jumped on it like it was a morning double shot latte.

I want you...inside of me.

What you get:

3 workouts on one disk for a reasonable $20. The lack of sticker shock is nice, as wow…I’ve seen some ballsy price tags for one lousy disk in the past.

SPECIAL OPS CARDIO

As with all 22MHC workouts, the format is three rounds. 7 moves per round is on schedule for today and you’re going to need some lighter weights for the occasion.

It might take a few attempts before one gets the hang of this. My Burpee Rolls were less than graceful and those Lateral Squat Hops should be classified as torture under the Geneva Convention. All of these moves would not be so bad were it not for the added weight or if you have a ton of cash, the optional sandbag.

And wait, is that bearded mountain man the infamous Bobby Stevenson? Thank goodness, as I now don’t have to drive to California and burn down Tony’s house in protest. Bobby’s been there since the days when the ORIGINAL Power90 was made with a Commodore 64 and I’ve always found him to be one of my favorite cast members. Always nice to see someone who has hit 50 and still has it, as I’m quickly approaching that number myself.

Bobby's beard is more manly than a Spartan legion.

As for intensity, it is shocking how much a little weight will crush you. This is hands down as difficult as the hardest Max 30 workout, and that is an impressive achievement.

SPECIAL OPS RESISTANCE

It’s on today, baby.

Once again there are many alumni in the cast with Bobby, Alice, and Shawn who looks like he stole Captain America’s socks.

Socks like those could be used in lieu of a Passport.

This is not a resistance workout in the typical sense. It has a much higher cardio component making it closer to a total body core label. Not a lot of dedicated weight training happening here besides pull/push ups.

Be mindful of your home gym as a hard floor will be rough on the body when you go down for California Rolls. Speaking of which, those gave me a bitchin’ case of vertigo.

SPECIAL OPS CORE

Ten moves for one round with a runtime of 17 minutes. Each moves goes for 22 reaps because doing any different when the program is called 22MHC would clearly be lunacy.

There are some challenges here beyond just strength. Physical co-ordination is going to determine how fast you pick up certain moves like Sidewinder…a back shuffling sequence that mimics frantically trying to scrape leeches off ones back.

Alice might be killing the Sidewinders, but no way you're going to get them first time out of the gate.

One of my favorite dedicate core workouts is P90X+ Abs Core Plus. I think this one actually surpasses it.

CONCLUSION

As far as bonus disks go, I have to put this on my highly recommended list. It will indeed add another layer of complexity and challenge to your existing 22 Minute Hard Corps schedule. This is nice as eight workouts can seem repetitive before too long and I tend to like having more variety.

I would caution beginners not to feel too discouraged when doing this disk for the first few times. Many moves are designed to mess with your head a little and are as much an exercise for the brain as they are for the body. This adds value and gives Special Ops purchasers another goal to strive for.

About Author

John Paul Parrot( aka. The Dysfunctional Parrot ) is a disgruntled Systems Analyst who wanders the Canadian wastelands saving small villages with the power of Kung Fu. His chair is also a little too close to the twenty year old microwave. As you can well imagine, this has had certain side effects.

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Actually the Les Mills Combat bonus discs were pretty good, they were easily up there with the rest of the workouts from the main set. In particular the Inner Warrior Strength And Stretch and Core Attack routines were both excellent and very effective, and maybe arguably should have been included with the main set itself. I’d say these were pretty much a must for anyone wanting to do the program.

SEM

Nice to see you give it 4.7. I might have to invest in it now :)

Julien

Hello from Paris !
First, I thank you for all your reviews.
Just finished 22hc and loved it, it’s intense, cardio and exactly what I’m looking for (crossfit style, not just pumping to have big muscles)
I love Beachbody programs but having to schedule them 6 days a week, plus running, plus kravmaga seem more and more difficult in my little planning and my wife seems to be arriving à the point break…
1) Do you think the 3 workouts in this bonus are harder than the others in each category (cario, resistance and core) ?
2) Do you think they could be a good idea to do a complete body workout using them 3 times a week ?
Merci !

Love this website, just discovered it a few days ago when I googled 21 Day Fix. I’m currently 44 yrs old, 5’11”, 280 lbs & need to lose 70 lbs to get down to 210 lbs. I haven’t did any consistent exercise in 23 yrs, since i was 22 yrs old, just 2 months of Physical Therapy that I’m just now doing a few months ago, 8 years after my back surgery. Because of my back surgery (Lumbar Fusion) in 2008, my physical therapist recommends that I take it easy with the heavy impact stuff, like running fast on a treadmill & heavy weight lifting that could re-injure my back or any exercises that are hard on my back. Since I’ve been on your website, I’ve learned that there are way more programs out there besides 21 Day Fix. I guess my question is what workout or hybrid workout do you recommend I use to get started? I was looking at 21 Day Fix and/or TurboFire, but would love to hear your opinion. Losing Weight is my first priority

Given your description, I’d start with P90 then migrate to T25. From there you can branch into the P90X series, Turbofire, 21DF or any other more advanced program. Avoid Insanity or Asylum as they are very high impact and not good on beginners joints.

Duct Tape P.

thanks DP, was just about to push the order button for 21DF because I figured the little colorful containers would be helpful because portion control is one of my biggest problems. Thanks for the advice, I definitely don’t wanna jump into a workout that my body’s not ready for yet. Gonna check out P90 now

KJ

Thanks again for your excellent reviews which I have been reading for years.
Do you have any thoughts on pre/post workout drinks? I have used p90x results and recovery for 6 years but now it’s discontinued and replaced by a much more expensive drink. Any advice? Perhaps a separate review?

It is something that occasionally gets asked. The way you pay for the program sort of turns me off though but I may look at it down the road.

James

If you do I’ll be sure to check it out. I did P90X when it first came out and I’ve been cycling through Beachbody programs ever since. Mixing it up and doing races and obstacle course stuff along the way. I’ve read your reviews for quite a while and I honestly take your advice pretty seriously. I’ve been hesitant about AthleanX as well but if you say it’s ok I just might give it a shot.

Mel

I know you asked Dysfunctional Parrot directly, and hopefully this reply is okay to make, but given I have some experience I thought I’d chime in. My boyfriend did P90, P90x, and we both just went down the BB lists doing tons of different programs. Between the two of us we have a huge library of their programs. While he was never obese, he did have a few extra he wanted to lose. I’ve always been lean and fit. I toned more, he lost that extra weight and felt over all healthier. He’s always wanted to bulk up more and turned his eye to AthleanX.

He’s been doing AthleanX for a a few months now and HOLY COW you can see the improvement. He’s toned much more, he’s bulking up and gaining muscle, everything is improving. So much so that his family, coworkers, and friends are commenting on his improvements. It works, if you dedicate yourself to the program. He pushes himself hard and is seeing the rewards of that. Diet has changed (Jeff goes over all of that regularly and how), supplements have changed, we now how gym equipment (not necessary) because we’d rather just set it up in our home. His entire lifestyle had changed. I do attribute that to Jeff/AthleanX because all the (years) of BB never really changed either of us that much, just little pushes in the right direction.

I know I don’t have any reliable credibility but thought I’d give you my impressions so far. I think as he continues it’ll only get better and better. I’m beyond impressed with the improvements already being made.

Risse

Thanks for your fb, I’m going to try the AthleanXX after I complete HC.

Jon Eastling

Agreed, sidewinders are a bear! Especially stacked into the workout like they are. I’ve done them with Tony’s Quadzilla workout on YouTube and let me just say WOW to that move, I’ve done all the p90x programs (1,2 and 3) and these routines were still rocking. Hard, but so fun. Also I was curious, have you ever done a review of preworkouts and supplements like that and the effect they have on workouts? Love reading your reviews and keep keeping it real!! 💪👍